As we know, there are many technologies incorporating conductive material into cloth or leather material for making electrical circuits or to electronic components. Included here are some technologies that incorporate conductive material into cloth material for making electric switches. For example, a bendable switch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,145,432, which makes use of a triple-layered textile material arranged in sequence to make an electric switch. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,467 (corresponding to China Patent No. CN1252762C) discloses an electric switch that utilizes an upper layer and a lower layer of a conductive material sandwiching an elastic material. Included in it is a button component, which comprises a metallic ring and a piece of rope/thread that passes through the ring. The switch is operated by pulling on the rope/thread. It has 4 objects in all, and the rope is a non-conductive component. If it is to be in the form of a pressure sensor or a tension sensor, it needs to add a pressure-sensitive component, which is made of a Piezoelectric material, in order to produce an analog signal. Such a switch is easily damaged. The layered textile materials in the afore-mentioned electric switches are common and numerous. However, the manufacturing process using these materials is somewhat complicated.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,955 discloses devices having conductive materials fixed onto a zipper. The use of these is limited to cloths that have zippers. In addition, it can't be repaired by the user. In addition, China Patent No. CN1666308 discloses an electric switch made of an upper part and a lower part. However, because it is difficult to incorporate this into a cloth material, the manufacturing process is somewhat complicated.
In addition, some materials are used as signal or electric current transmitting devices, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,154,071. Again, as in the above-described products, these devices have the disadvantages of requiring complicated manufacturing processes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,237,886 and 6,970,731, disclose snap-on button devices that can easily detach with prolonged use. U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,771 discloses a 2-part structure that can be used as a switch matrix. However, this switch not only easily gives a false signal, but its function is also easily affected by a wet cloth material caused by sweat or rain. Besides, this device can only measure pressure, but can't measure strain. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,939 (corresponding to China Patent CN1791337A), a button-hole interconnect is used as a conductor. This device includes an opening and a button interconnect; these two have to be operated manually by the user to be able to connect to the power source or an electronic equipment. Once electrically connected, it cannot be disconnected. Therefore, in terms of the environment and energy-saving, it is not ideal because it cannot automatically change its state of being conductive or non-conductive based on changes in outside forces. In addition, it can't distinguish the extent of conductivity once it is connected.